Miesque (horse)

Won Prix de la Salamandre (FR-G1, 1400mT, Longchamp)
Won Prix Marcel Boussac (FR-G1, 1600mT, Longchamp)
3rd Prix Morny (FR-G1, 1200mT, Deauville)

1987:

Won Breeders' Cup Mile (USA-G1, 8FT, Hollywood Park; new course record 1:32-4/5)
Won General Accident One Thousand Guineas (ENG-G1, 8FT, Newmarket)
Won Dubai Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (FR-G1, 1600mT, Longchamp)
Won Prix du Haras Fresnay Buffard Jacques Le Marois (FR-G1, 1600mT, Deauville)
Won Prix du Moulin de Longchamp Ecurie Fustok (FR-G1, 1600mT, Longchamp)
Won Prix Imprudence (FR-L, 1400fT, Maisons-Laffitte)
2nd Prix de Diane Hermes (FR-G1, 2100mT, Chantilly)
2nd Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (ENG-G1, 8FT, Ascot)

1988:

Won Breeders' Cup Mile (USA-G1, 8FT, Churchill Downs)
Won Prix d'Ispahan (FR-G1, 1800mT, Longchamp)
Won Prix du Haras Fresnay Buffard Jacques Le Marois (FR-G1, 1600mT, Deauville)
2nd Prix du Moulin de Longchamp Ecurie Fustok (FR-G1, 1600mT, Longchamp)

Honors

National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame (inducted in 1999)
French champion 2-year-old filly (1986)
French champion 3-year-old filly (1987)
French champion miler (1987)
English champion 3-year-old filly (1987)
English champion miler (1987)
Eclipse Award, American champion turf female (1987, 1988)
French champion older female (1988)
French co-champion miler (1988)

Assessments

Miesque was rated #82 among the greatest American racehorses of the 20th century by an expert panel convened by The Blood-Horse (Thoroughbred Champions, Eclipse Press, 7th printing, 2005). She ranked 19th among the 26 fillies and mares on the list.

Highweighted at 123 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American turf females of 1987, 2 pounds above Anka Germania, Asteroid Field and Carotene.

Highweighted at 126 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American turf females of 1988, 3 pounds above second-rated Indian Skimmer.

Rated at 132 pounds on the 1988 World Thoroughbred Rankings.

Rated at 133 pounds by Timeform.

As an individual

A well-balanced bay mare, Miesque possessed excellent shoulders and strong quarters. She could produce a brilliant burst of speed at any point in a race and was at her best on firm going. She had a rather plain head but was intelligent and easy to train.

As a producer

Designated as a Reine-de-Course by pedigree analyst Ellen Parker, Miesque produced 14 named foals, of which 10 started and six won. Her important foals are as follow:

Kingmambo (1990, by Mr. Prospector) won the 1993 Poule d'Essai des Poulains (French Two Thousand Guineas, FR-G1) and two other European Group 1 races as a 3-year-old. Retired to stud at Lane's End Farm in Kentucky, he did very well before being pensioned in September 2010, siring 85 stakes winners.
East of the Moon (1991, by Private Account) won the 1994 Dubai Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (French One Thousand Guineas, FR-G1) and Prix de Diane Hermes (French Oaks, FR-G1) and was highweighted among French 3-year-old fillies over 7 to 9.5 furlongs. She produced French Group 3 winner Moon Driver (by Mr. Prospector) and is the second dam of 2018 European champion 3-year-old filly Alpha Centauri, 2020 Coronation Stakes (ENG-G1) winner Alpine Moon, 2021 Moyglare Stud Stakes (IRE-G1) winner Discoveries, and multiple Group 3 winner Autocratic. East of the Moon is also the third dam of 2024 Sprinters Stakes (JPN-G1) winner Lugal and English Group 3 winner Molatham.
Miesque's Son (1992, by Mr. Prospector) won the 1996 Prix de Ris-Orangis (FR-G3) and placed in two French Group 1 events. An inconsistent stallion, he sired 2006 American champion turf male Miesque's Approval and multiple French Group 1 winner Whipper before being exported to France prior to the 2004 Northern Hemisphere breeding season.
Moon Is Up (1993, by Woodman) won a listed stakes in France and was Group 3-placed. She is the dam of 2011 Thekwini Stakes (SAF-G1) winner Amanee (by Pivotal) and the second dam of Karakontie, winner of the 2014 Poule d'Essai des Poulains (FR-G1) and Breeders' Cup Mile (USA-G1). She is also the second dam of listed stakes winner Bottega and minor stakes winner Sunday Sunrise.
Monevassia (1994, by Mr. Prospector) is the dam of 2005 European champion juvenile filly Rumpelstiltskin (by Danehill) and Irish Group 3 winner I Am Beautiful (by Rip Van Winkle). Rumpelstiltskin, in turn, is the dam of 2014 Yorkshire Oaks (ENG-G1) winner Tapestry and Irish Group 3 winner John F Kennedy, both by Galileo. Monevassia is also the second dam of two-time Japanese champion Loves Only You and 2016 Dubai Turf Sponsored by DP World (UAE-G1) winner Real Steel. In addition, Monevassia is the third dam of multiple Japanese Group 3 winner Terzetto and Irish Group 3 winner Dreamy.
Mingun (2000, by A.P. Indy) won the 2003 Meld Stakes (IRE-G3) and the listed Celebration Stakes.
Second Happiness (2002, by Storm Cat) managed only one third-place finish in three starts but produced 2018 Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby, FR-G1) winner Study of Man (by Deep Impact).
Ama (2004, by Storm Cat) ran second in both her two starts and is the dam of German listed stakes winner Lunar Maria (by Dubawi).

Connections

Miesque was bred in Kentucky by Flaxman Holdings Ltd., the breeding operation of owner Stavros Niarchos. She was trained by François Boutin. She was humanely destroyed at the Oak Tree division of Lane's End Farm in 2011 due to the infirmities of old age.

Pedigree notes

Miesque is outcrossed through five generations. She is a full sister to French stakes winner Massaraat, dam of multiple French stakes winner Tessa Reef (by Mark of Esteem); second dam of English Group 2 winners Permian, Silent Honor and Silkwood; and third dam of 2019 Northern Dancer Turf Stakes (CAN-G1) winner Old Persian. She is also a full sister to Bravemie, dam of multiple French stakes winner Byzantium (by Gulch), and a half sister to Yogya (by Riverman), dam of 2002 French champion 2-year-old filly Six Perfections (by Celtic Swing) and, through her, second dam of French Group 2 winner Planet Five, Australian Group 2 winner Yucatan, and Grade 3 winner Faufiler.

Miesque's dam Pasadoble is a multiple French stakes winner and a half sister to 1982 Brooklyn Handicap (USA-G2) winner Silver Supreme (by Al Hattab). The dam of Pasadoble, Santa Quilla (by Sanctus), is a half sister to four stakes winners including 1974 Prix Saint-Alary (FR-G1) winner Comtesse de Loir (by Val de Loir), dam of Grade 2 winner Heron Cove (by Bold Bidder).

Books and media

Miesque is one of 50 Thoroughbreds profiled in Royal Blood: Fifty Years of Classic Thoroughbreds. Written by racing historian Jim Bolus with illustrations and commentary by noted equine artist Richard Stone Reeves, the book was released by The Blood-Horse, Inc., in 1994.
Miesque is one of the Thoroughbreds profiled in photographs and essays in Barbara Livingston's More Old Friends: Visits With My Favorite Thoroughbreds (2007, Blood-Horse Publications).

Fun facts

Miesque was nicknamed "La Concierge" by barn staff due to her interest in everything happening outside her stall.
Miesque is one of two horses to have won two American championships off a single race each; the other is High Chaparral, who was named American champion turf male off his victories in the 2002 and 2003 editions of the Breeders' Cup Turf (USA-G1).
Miesque loved sugar cubes as treats but was even fonder of honey, which her trainer regularly poured over her food.
The Prix Miesque was inaugurated in 2001, replacing the Prix Saint-Roman, and is currently run as a 1400-meter event for 2-year-old fillies at the Maisons-Laffitte race course in France.
The Miesque Stakes was inaugurated in 1991 and was last run as a Grade 3 race for 2-year-old fillies over a mile on turf at Betfair Hollywood Park in 2013.

Last updated: October 2, 2024